Ghouls on Parade

Any time of year is a good time to visit our near neighbor, Alton, Illinois. The historic old town has a nice riverine vibe to it and lots of interesting things to see and do. The fall, though, might represent the best opportunity to take an easy trip up to Alton: There's the autumn pageant of the changing leaves, the mild weather, and, at Halloween, the spirits come out to play. That's right, Alton is haunted (it calls itself "the most haunted small town in America"), and it throws a Halloween fiesta every year to underscore the point. You're invited to the Alton Halloween Parade (commencing at Washington Avenue and Broadway, Alton, Illinois; 618-462-7527 or www.visitalton.com), which will feature more than 80 participating entities — corporeal or otherwise — including floats, bands and plenty of parade flair that's free and appropriate for all ages. The parade, one of the longest-running Halloween celebrations in the country, starts at 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 30, 2010